The Mom Test

THE MOM TEST: How to Talk to Customers & Learn If Your Business is a Good Idea When Everyone is Lying to You

by Rob Fitzpatrick

Have you ever asked a friend or potential customer “Do you like this product idea?” or “Would you use this solution if it was available?” These are actually the “wrong” questions that lead to misleading answers.  In this book, serial entrepreneur Rob Fitzpatrick explains how to avoid such costly mistakes, and how to talk to customers in a way that reveals the truth—so you can build something people will actually buy.

In this summary, you’ll learn:

• Why everyone lies to you, why customer conversations go wrong, and how you might end up with misleading feedback that lead you down the wrong path.

• How to use 3 rules from The Mom Test to ask questions that even your mom can’t lie to you about. Learn the warning signs of “bad data” to watch out for, how to respond to steer discussions back on track, and get honest, concrete user feedback to help you build products that actually sell.

• How to define a strong niche, get useful insights quickly, and create a structured learning process to multiply the results of your customer conversations and interviews.

Who should read this:
• Startup founders & entrepreneurs looking to validate ideas before investing time and money.
• Business owners and sales & marketing professionals in early-stage companies who need real customer insights.
• Investors, mentors & advisors who want to help startups ask better questions and avoid common pitfalls.